James George Strong

Politician. Republican. Born: April 23, 1870, Dwight, Illinois. Died: January 11, 1938, Washington, D.C. Served in U.S. House of Representatives, 5th District: March 4, 1919, to March 3, 1933.

Born April 23, 1870, in Dwight, Livingston County, Illinois, Strong attended the public schools of Dwight, the Episcopal Mission of Greenwood Agency, South Dakota (1879-1880), and the public schools at St. Marys, Kansas (1882-1887). Strong attended Baker University, before moving to Blue Rapids, Kansas, in 1891. There he engaged in the real estate, loan, and insurance businesses, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1895. In 1905 Strong organized the Blue Rapids Telephone Company and developed the Marshall County Power & Light Company in 1912. Strong served as city attorney of Blue Rapids from 1896 to 1911, as assistant attorney general of Marshall County in 1911 and 1912, as a delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1912 (and again in 1928), as a member of the school board from 1913-1916, and as prosecuting attorney of Marshall County in 1916 and 1917. He was first elected to Congress in 1918, and reelected six times, serving from March 4, 1919, to March 3, 1933. Despite his past electoral successes, Congressman Strong was unsuccessful in his bid for renomination in 1932. When he left Congress in 1933, Strong was appointed the first assistant treasurer of the Home Owners' Loan Corporation and served in this position until his death in Washington, D.C., on January 11, 1938.

Entry: Strong, James George

Author: Kristina Gaylord

Date Created: June 2011

Date Modified: May 2012

The author of this article is solely responsible for its content.

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